After the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 and crash of MH17, another aviation tragedy has left the world mourning. On Thursday, July 24, 2014, Air Algerie plane went missing few minutes after its take off from Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. According to the latest update, wreckage of AH5017 has been found.

Based on a new survey citing the world's most polluted places, the lives of at least 200 million people are at risk. These areas are believed severely hazardous to man's health spanning Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

Share prices of Middle Island Resources (ASX: MDI) zoomed 42 per cent on Thursday amid reports that it purchased a gold mine in Niger. Besides its new acquisition, Middle Island has exploration prospects in two other African nations, in Liberia and Burkina Faso.

Africa still holds the key to the best gold discoveries among all gold-bearing countries in the world, irrespective of the political upheavals and armed uprising in that region, the chief executive of Montreal-based Semafo Inc. (SMF) said.

Global prices of copper and uranium are likely to go down in the coming years as is expected from the oversupply that will be boosted by the planned expansion of Australia's Olympic Dam by global mining company BHP Billiton Ltd.

As the global population increases, so does the number of mouths to feed. The good news is that in addition to providing food, innovations in sustainable agriculture can provide a solution to many of the challenges that a growing population presents.

Mineral explorer NGM Resources Ltd (ASX: NGM) expressed dismay on Wednesday as it reacted on last week’s revelations by Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) of backing out from the two companies’ merger deal that the latter has attributed to the worsening security situation in Niger.

Uranium miner Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) said on Monday that negotiations are underway with NGM Resources Ltd (ASX: NGM) for a possible takeover agreement on the latter’s mining operations in Australia, West Africa and Madagascar.